1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a press plate and a radiographic imaging apparatus, and in particular relates to a press plate for performing image capture with an image capture body in a compressed state, and to a radiographic imaging apparatus provided with such a press plate.
2. Related Art
Mammography apparatuses for early detection of breast cancer and the like are known as medical radiographic imaging apparatuses. In mammography apparatuses, the breast of an examinee is interposed as an image capture body between an imaging face of an imaging table and a press plate, and then a radiographic image is captured with the breast in a state compressed by the press plate. Adopting such an imaging method makes the thickness of the breast thinner, and so enables a clear radiographic image to be obtained and enables the radiation amount to be reduced.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2011-206438, a radiographic imaging apparatus and a press plate for a radiographic imaging apparatus are described that enable the burden on an examinee during breast pressing, and in particular the pain felt by the examinee, to be reduced. The press plate is equipped with a flexible press plate section that presses the breast against the imaging face of an imaging table, a reinforcement plate section that is integrally formed at both ends of the press plate section, and a support plate section that spans across the reinforcement plate section and maintains a gap to the press plate section.
In the press plate described in JP-A No. 2011-206438, a location at which flexibility can be obtained is limited to a portion of the press plate section where the gap to the support plate section is maintained. Since no gap is provided at the reinforcement plate section, rigidity is increased at locations of the press plate section that are integrally formed with the reinforcement plate section, such that flexibility is not readily obtained and compression force becomes stronger. Moreover, since the rigidity of a corner portion between the support plate section and the reinforcement plate section is higher than the rigidity of the support plate section and the reinforcement plate section due to the shape of the corner portion, flexibility is even less readily obtained and compression force readily concentrates at the corner portion. There is consequently room for improvement in the press plate when it comes to obtaining appropriate deflection in the press plate section. Providing a gap between the support plate section and the press plate section along the reinforcement plate section may be considered when attempting simply to obtain flexibility. However, distortion (or twisting) between the support plate section and reinforcement plate section and the press plate section occurs when compression force is applied to the support plate section and the reinforcement plate section.